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Feast Of Weeks, Shavuot or Pentecost--What Is Its Significance?

Many believers do not keep the Feast Of Weeks or any of the other Holy Days of Yahweh mentioned in the Bible. Yet one of the most celebrated events of the "New Testament" (other than Passover) happened on the day mentioned as "Pentecost" (Acts 2:1) which was also known as "Chag Shavuot" ( חג שׁבעות) in Hebrew.

Deut. 16:10 And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the LORD thy God with a tribute of a freewill offering of thine hand, which thou shalt give unto the LORD thy God, according as the LORD thy God hath blessed thee:

Let's explore the origins of this ancient Biblical Festival and how it was kept

Origins Of Chag Shavuot

The Israelites were given specific instructions during the Feast of Unleavened Bread regarding a particular offering involving sheaves of grain. This was the beginnings of this Festival. Let's read:

Lev. 23:9 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Lev. 23:10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:

Lev. 23:11 And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it.

This was the beginning of the event that would tell the Israelites how to count the seven weeks (50 days) to the next Feast Day, the Feast of Weeks.

Lev 23:14 And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

Lev 23:15 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete:

Lev 23:16 Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.

The Israelites were instructed not to eat any new grain until they gave an offering of the first harvest of the year which was done on "the morrow after the sabbath" (the weekly Sabbath). The first harvest of grain was during the Days of Unleavened Bread.

The Isrealite's were then instructed to count seven Sabbaths and the day after the seventh Sabbath was a Holy Day--The Feast of Weeks.

. This was the second of the three seasons of the year that all males were commanded to attend.

Deut. 16:16 Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty:

Ex. 34:22 And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the year's end.

NOTE: The phrase "from the morrow after the Sabbath" has brought misunderstanding and disagreement among those who keep these days, as to which Sabbath is spoken about. Some contend that the Sabbath talked about is the actual High Holy Day--others say it is the weekly Sabbath talked about. What confirms which Sabbath it is that we are to be counting from is Lev. 23:16..."Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall you number fifty days;..."

This counting is important because it gives us the day for the next Festival Feast of Weeks or Pentecost. More on this in the future.

In the "Old Testament" this Festival stood alone in the middle of the three seasons of the year. It all focused on the importance of the offering of the "First Fruits" or the first of the harvest being set aside for Yahweh (God).

Feast Of Weeks In The New Testament--Pentecost

Now we continue with this Festival in the "New Testament". Yahshua the Messiah had already been crucified and was resurrected from the dead by Yahweh and presented himself on the "morrow after the Sabbath" (known as Resurrection Sunday by many) as the wave sheaf offering--the first fruits of the spiritual harvest.

1Cor. 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

1Cor. 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

John 20:1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

John 20:11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,

John 20:12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

John 20:13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.

John 20:14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

John 20:15 Jesus saith unto her, "Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou?" She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.

John 20:16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

John 20:17 Jesus saith unto her, "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God."

The Comforter

Yahshua during His ministry told His disciples that He would send a comforter called the Holy Spirit. This comforter was necessary for them to have if their ministry was to be successful, and would only be sent if He (Yahshua) left them and returned to His Father in Heaven.

John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

After Yahshua's (Jesus') resurrection he continued to minister to His disciples for 40 days.

Acts 1:3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

He then told His disciples that they should stay in Jerusalem until He sends them the PROMISED POWER from on High.

Luke 24:49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

Acts 1:4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Feast Of Weeks--Promise Fulfilled

Yahshua's promise of Power from on High was fulfilled on Chag Shavuot--The Feast Of Weeks. This was ten days after his post resurrection ministry to His disciples. The Holy Spirit came upon them and filled them with POWER.

Act 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

Act 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

Act 2:3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

Act 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

And with this power there were many signs and wonders performed by the disciples

Act 2:43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

This was the FIRST revival after Yahshua's resurrection. What a marvelous day--a day we should never forget and we should CELEBRATE every year. This was called Pentecost in the Greek (πεντηκοστή). Don't you think as a believer this Festival is worthy of Celebration?